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Chapter 38

           Oneevening,thusmusing,whilethegreatgoldenmoonclimbedlanguidlyupintotheskytostareatthewrecksofearthlyagesIsaid—

           "Ifonecouldonlyseetheseancientcitiesastheyonceexisted,whatstrangerevelationsmightbemade!Ourmodernmarvelsofcivilizationandprogressmightseemsmalltriflesafterall—forIbelieveinourdaysweareonlyre-discoveringwhatthepeoplesofoldtimeknew."

           Luciodrewhiscigarfromhismouthandlookedatitmeditatively.Thenheglancedupatmewithahalf-smile—

           "Wouldyouliketoseeacityresuscitated?"heinquired—"Here,inthisveryspot,somesixthousandyearsago,akingreigned,withawomannothisqueenbuthisfavourite,(quitealawfularrangementinthosedays)whowasasfamousforherbeautyandvirtue,asthisriverisforitsfructifyingtide.Herecivilizationhadprogressedenormously—withtheoneexceptionthatithadnotoutgrownfaith.ModernFranceandEnglandhavebeatentheancientsintheirscornofGodandcreed,theircontemptfordivinethings,theirunnameablelasciviousnessandblasphemy.Thiscity"——andhewavedhishandtowardsadrearystretchofshorewhereaclusteroftallreedswavedabovethemonsterfragmentofafallencolumn—"wasgovernedbythestrongpurefaithofitspeoplemorethananything—andtherulerofsocialthingsinitwasawoman.

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